Can Christians climb Mount Everest?

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Leaving aside the question of whether one should risk one’s life in such a way for the moment…

Is it morally acceptable for Christians to climb Everest…because of the fact that, before climbs it with sherpa assistance, one is required to participate on a pagan puja ceremony.

What is the Churc’s stance on such matters, if any? If none, what are your thoughts on this?

I have heard of at least a few Catholics, including an Australian priest, who apparently ascended with sherpa guidance, but I’m not sure how he could justify doing this, since it seems that no-one is exempt from the requirement to participate in the puja ceremony before climbing.

So, again, is it moral for Christians to climb Everest based on this puja requirement?
 
It is not good to participate in that since it is Hindu. Puja ceremony is spirituality dangerous because they offer devotional worship to deities and that would be sin against 1.Commandment.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe in it, since you are there you participate in it so don’t go into that.
But climbing on Everest without any other-religion activities is good, why not if you can handle it physically since there are some dangers for those with asthma and other illnesses. Never heard that someone prays rosary while climbing on Everest…unfortunately.
As an example I know, there are nuns who offer reiki healings but it doesn’t mean it is acceptable by Catholic Church, it is not compatible with Catholicism.

You can read in general what Church says about New Age since many Western people participate in Eastern religions activities and I believe many of them in that Puja ceremony.
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/...s/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_new-age_en.html
 
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Here’s a better question:

Are you going to climb Mount Everest?

If not, I honestly wouldn’t think too much about it.

-Fr ACEGC
 
MysticMissMisty said:
Leaving aside the question of whether one should risk one’s life in such a way for the moment…

Is it morally acceptable for Christians to climb Everest…because of the fact that, before climbs it with sherpa assistance, one is required to participate on a pagan puja ceremony.

What is the Churc’s stance on such matters, if any? If none, what are your thoughts on this?

I have heard of at least a few Catholics, including an Australian priest, who apparently ascended with sherpa guidance, but I’m not sure how he could justify doing this, since it seems that no-one is exempt from the requirement to participate in the puja ceremony before climbing.

So, again, is it moral for Christians to climb Everest based on this puja requirement?
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Would just standing in place and maintaining a respectful silence, while the Hindu carries out the ceremony, be an option?

I have in mind how we are supposed to conduct ourselves if, for instance, we were to attend an Anglican or Lutheran Mass as part of a wedding or funeral of someone in our acquaintance. We would not “worship” the invalid Eucharist, nor would we receive communion.
 
Hey, the tallest mountain I have climbed, actually more or less walked, is Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain in the eastern United States, I can barely do that and, and that’s nowhere near as high as Mount Everest, so good advice.
 
I was actually reading a book about people who climbed Everest, and that’s what got me to thinking about it.
 
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MysticMissMisty said:
one is required to participate on a pagan puja ceremony.
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I don’t think you’d be required to participate. Most likely what would happen is that you’d sit and wait quietly while the Sherpas do their thing. I highly doubt the Sherpas would expect a foreign mountaineer to know how to participate in the ritual.

If offered something while in the course of sitting quietly while the ritual is in progress one can simply smile and politely decline.

If you’re having particular trouble because the Sherpas are pagan, I would point out that it’s the same as when one is witnessing the rituals of a non-Catholic monotheistic faith, while not participating. I’ve attended several Muslim funerals in my life. I sit and pray quietly while Muslim attendees chant and do their thing. Just because I was there does not mean I participated, like Muslim attendees did. Presence does not equal participation.
 
In my younger days I was an avid mountaineer. Lots of fourteeners and actually 3 of the 7 summits. Never Everest. Never even dreamed of it. And personally any sin involved with climbing Everest would not be an (optional) ceremony, but rather the blatant disregard for human life, (yours and others) and the the questionable “employment” of sherpas from an ethics standpoint. The deaths on Everest historically did not count sherpas and it is quite common to see someone in need of assistance and not offer it because of your own goal. How moral can senselessly risking ones life and limb for pride be? And I say this as a former climber.
 
adamhovey1988 said:
Hey, the tallest mountain I have climbed, actually more or less walked, is Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain in the eastern United States, I can barely do that and, and that’s nowhere near as high as Mount Everest, so good advice.
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Same here — I love Mount Mitchell! For those who don’t know, it is a short walk up a trail (either gravel or paved, they’ve recently renovated and put an observation deck at the summit), similar to Brasstown Bald in Georgia.
 
Excuse me?

Maybe curiosity isn’t necessarily the best thing to indulge. People can become fixated on moral issues that have absolutely zero bearing on their lives, and maybe when I give the advice that I do, it’s because I’m trying to caution against that.

Maybe stay in your lane and show some respect, sir.

-Father ACEGC
 
Then say that, and don’t call names like a petulant teenager.

As for fixation, maybe I evaluate posting history and whatnot before I post. And as for “my lane,” I am a priest, so looking after people’s spiritual well-being and guiding then in virtue is kind of my job.
 
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Whether you are or not, I was encouraging you to be better than that.

But thanks for playing, the mods will be along shortly to deal with your trolling.

@camoderator
 
I think that calling the mods, for once is actually an appropriate call. @camoderator
 
No, it’s not a Foothill where I live is the Foothills, and I understand you’re trying to be funny but it’s not
 
In as much as this is an incredibly rare feat, it’s not likely that anyone here has enough knowledge of the required ceremony and the nature of the climber’s participation in it to make this call. If you are actually planning this trip, it’s probably best to contact other people who have already made it and ask them. I don’t think merely standing among Hindu people who are praying prior to a dangerous trip up a mountain even comes close to sin. I would be praying myself. If you are required to make any statements of faith in Hindu Gods, then that would obviously be a problem.
 
As I understand it, you have to have your climbing equipment blessed. That’s where your participation comes in. The purpose of the ceremony is to protect from danger on the mountain and is mainly for the peace o mind of the sherpas, as I understand it.

Still, this kind of participation might lend to the idea that you support the pagan belief system behind these ceremonies, unless, I suppose, you directly state you don’t but are performing the action for others’ peace of mind.

Still, I don’t know if this would be permitted by the Church.
 
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